Chair elbow rest upholstery member and chair having such members

ABSTRACT

[Problem] To present a cover member of a lap cover of a chair and a chair having such member capable of solving the problems due to the space formed between the lap cover and the seat and problems occurring when the lap cover is used. 
     [Solving Means] A configuration comprising a mounting portion  11  formed along the top surface of a lap cover  31  as being hooked and stopped on the lap cover  31  of a chair  3 , a concealing portion  12  for covering the side portion of the lap cover, and a lap cover portion  2  using a sheet material so as to wrap the lap portion in a state sitting on the chair  3 , in which the sheet material of the lap cover  2  is integrated with the mounting portion  11  or concealing portion  12.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to an upholstery member of a chair elbowrest and a chair having such members.

BACKGROUND ART

Conventionally, chairs generally used as office furniture are oftenprovided with elbow rests, but these elbow rests are often mounted onthe seat side by way of support members.

Accordingly, in the chairs of this type, a wide space is formed betweenthe elbow rest and the seat side of a chair, and air communicatesthrough this space, and cools the body of the occupant, and reveals theclothes of the occupant, and it was necessary to pay attention to thestate of the clothes.

On the other hand, for the purpose of heat insulation, a lap cover wasused, but when such a lap cover is used alone, it is likely to slipdown, and the chair lap cover of this type has its length often shorterthan the length from the front end to the rear end of the seat of thechair, and when not in use, the lap cover droops down to touch thefloor, and the lap cover is stained.

OUTLINE OF THE INVENTION Problems to be Solved by the Invention

The present invention is devised to solve the problems of the chairprovided with the conventional elbow rest, and it is a primary objetthereof to present a covering member of an elbow cover of a chair and achair having such member, so as to solve the problems derived from thespace formed between the lap cover and the seat.

It is hence a secondary object thereof to present a covering member ofan elbow rest of a chair and a chair having such member, so as to solvethe problems in the case of using the lap cover.

Means for Solving the Problems

To achieve the primary object, the elbow rest covering member of thechair of the present invention includes a mounting portion to be mountedon the topside of the elbow rest as being fastened to the elbow rest ofthe chair, and a concealing portion for concealing the side portion ofthe elbow rest.

In this case, the length comes to be equivalent to the length from thefront end till the rear end of the seat of the chair.

At the same time, the length of the mounting portion is variable.

To achieve the secondary object, the elbow rest covering member of thechair of the present invention includes a lap covering portion made of asheet member to wrap the lap portion in a position sitting on the chair,in which the sheet member of the lap covering portion is integrated withthe mounting portion or the concealing portion.

To achieve the secondary object, the elbow rest covering member of thechair of the present invention has the concealing portion for coveringthe side portion of the elbow rest is a lap covering member of a sheetmaterial so as to envelop the lap portion in a state sitting on theseat.

To achieve the primary and secondary objects, the chair of the presentinvention has a covering member of the elbow rest of the chair.

Effects of the Invention

According to the covering member of the elbow rest of the chair of thepresent invention, comprising a mounting portion being mounted along thetop surface of the elbow rest being fastened to the elbow rest of thechair, and a concealing portion for covering and concealing the sideportion of the elbow rest, by the member easily mounted on the elbowcover of the chair, the space formed between the elbow rest of the chairand the seat surface is covered, and air communicates through thisspace, so that the clothes of the occupant are prevented from being seenthrough, and the problem caused by the space formed between the elbowrest and the seat surface may be solved.

In addition, since the length comes to be equivalent to the length fromthe front end till the rear end of the seat of the chair, the problemattributable to the space formed between the elbow rest and the seatsurface can be more securely eliminated.

Besides, since the length of the mounting portion is variable, it isapplicable to chairs of various sizes.

According to the covering member of the elbow rest of the chair of thepresent invention, it includes a lap covering portion made of a sheetmember to wrap the lap portion in a position sitting on the chair, andthe sheet member of the lap covering portion is integrated with themounting portion or the concealing portion, or the concealing portionfor covering the side portion of the elbow rest is made of the lapcovering member made of a sheet material formed to envelop the lap partin a state sitting on the chair, and therefore the problems when usingthe lap cover may be solved by preventing the lap cover from slippingdown, or the drooping portion down from the lap cover when not in use tocontact with the floor or the lap cover from staining.

The chair of the invention therefore is capable of solving the problemsderived from the space formed between the elbow rest and the seatsurface or the problems when using the lap cover.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIGS. 1A-1E show a covering member of an elbow cover of a chair of thepresent invention and an exemplary embodiment of the chair having thesame member, in which FIG. 1A is a perspective view of the chairincluding the covering member of the elbow rest of the chair, FIG. 1B isa perspective view of the chair including the covering member of theelbow rest of the chair, FIG. 1C is a plan view showing a developedstate of the covering member of the elbow rest of the chair, FIG. 1D isa perspective view of the chair including the covering member of theelbow rest of the chair having the lap cover, and FIG. 1E is a plan viewshowing a developed state of the lap cover.

FIGS. 2A-2H show a covering member of an elbow cover of a chair of thepresent invention and an exemplary embodiment of the chair having thesame member, in which FIG. 2A is a plan view of the chair including thecovering member of the elbow rest of the chair, FIG. 2B is a front viewthereof, FIG. 2C is a front view showing a state of the covering memberof the elbow rest of the chair being mounted on the chair, FIG. 2D is afront view of a modified example of the same, FIG. 2E is a front viewshowing a state of the covering member of the elbow rest of the chair ofthe modified example being mounted on the chair, being a perspectiveview of the chair including the covering member of the elbow rest of thechair, FIG. 2F is a plan view of a modified example of the coveringmember of the elbow rest of the chair, FIG. 2G is a side view of amodified example of the covering member of the elbow rest of the chair,and FIG. 2H is a side sectional view of the elbow rest of the chairincluding the covering member of the elbow rest of the chair.

FIGS. 3A-3I show various embodiments of the covering member of the elbowrest of the chair and the chair including the same member, being frontsectional views of the elbow cover portion of the chair including thecovering member of the elbow rest of the chair.

FIGS. 4A-4E show various embodiments of the covering member of the elbowrest of the chair and the chair including the same member, being frontsectional views of the chair including the covering member of the elbowrest of the chair.

FIGS. 5A-5B show various embodiments of the covering member of the elbowrest of the chair and the chair including the same member, in which FIG.5A is a side sectional view (without height adjusting member) of theelbow rest portion of the chair including the covering member of theelbow rest of the chair, and FIG. 5B is a side sectional view (withheight adjusting member) of the elbow rest portion of the chairincluding the covering member of the elbow rest of the chair.

FIGS. 6A-6B show various embodiments of the covering member of the elbowrest of the chair and the chair including the same member, being frontsectional views of the chair including the covering member of the elbowrest of the chair.

FIGS. 7A-7B show various embodiments of the covering member of the elbowrest of the chair and the chair including the same member, beingperspective views of the chair including the covering member of theelbow rest of the chair.

BEST FORM OF CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

Embodiments of the covering member of the elbow cover of the chair ofthe invention and the chair having such member are described below byreference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 to FIG. 4 show embodiments of the covering member of the elbowcover of the chair of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 1B, the covering member 1 of the elbow rest of thechair comprises a mounting portion 11 to be disposed along the top sideof the elbow rest 31 as being hooked and fastened to the elbow rest 31of the chair 3, and a concealing portion 12 for covering the sideportion of the elbow rest 31.

In this case, the mounting portion 11 of the covering member 1 iscomposed of a plastic plate (bar or pipe), a synthetic resin materialsuch as plastic corrugated cardboard, an aluminum plate (bar or pipe) orother metal material, or rigid plate member (bar or pipe) such ascorrugated cardboard or thick paper.

Herein, the required rigidity of the mounting portion 11 of the coveringmember 1 is formed as shown in FIG. 2H, that is, the enough strength sothat the mounting portion 11 may not be folded or deformed, when theelbow is placed on the portion extended back or forth of the elbow rest21 of the mounting portion 11.

Herein, the mounting portion 11 of the covering member 1 is basicallymade of a rigid member, or a member of a rubber elastic body having arestoring property.

The covering member 1 is formed as shown in FIG. 1C, that is, aplurality of foldable lines 11 a are formed along the mounting portion11, and folded and mounted at a position of the foldable lines 11 acorresponding to the width of the elbow rest 31 to be mounted.

Accordingly, it is applicable to the chair 3 of various sizes dependingon the width of the elbow rest 31.

Of the covering member 1, at least the mounting portion 11 is preferablyformed in a length L11 (usually about 400 to 450 mm) corresponding tothe length L3 from the front end till the rear end of the seat part 32of the chair 3.

Of the covering member 1, at least the mounting portion 11 can be formedso as to be various in its length L11.

The mechanism for varying the length L11 of the mounting portion 11 is,for example as shown in FIG. 2F, that is, the length L11 is variable bysliding, or as shown in FIG. 2G, the length L11 may be variable bydeveloping the folded members.

In this manner, it is possible to correspond to the chair 3 of varioussizes.

The top side of the elbow rest 31 of the chair 3 is usually horizontalas shown in FIG. 5A, but if not horizontal as shown in FIG. 5B, asrequired, a height adjusting member 11 b may be disposed between themounting portion 11 and the elbow rest 31 beforehand so that themounting portion 11 of covering member 1 may be inserted stably in ahorizontal state.

The concealing portion 12 of the covering member 1 may be formed eitherintegrally by using a same material as the mounting portion 11, or asshown in modified embodiments in FIG. 6A and FIG. 6B, it may be alsopossible to use a knit cloth, woven cloth, blanket, or nonwoven cloth,or a comparative elastic material such as plastic sheet, foamed plasticsheet, or synthetic resin, or in any case by using fixing means such assurface fastener, braiding material, hook, button, magnet, adhesive, orany desired affixing member, it may be composed by integrally affixed tothe mounting portion 11 (in this case, by covering the mounting portion11.

Consequently, as shown in FIG. 1C, the covering member 11 at the side ofthe elbow rest 31 may be covered with the concealing portion 12 of thecovering member 1 from both inner and outer sides, and when formingintegrally by using a same material as the mounting portion 11, thedeveloped width dimension 12 of the covering member 1 is set to a sum ofthe width dimension of the elbow rest 31, and a double of the heightdimension from the elbow rest 31 to the seat part 32 of the chair 3(usually about 450 to 500 mm).

In this embodiment, therefore, as shown in FIG. 1, FIG. 2B and FIG. 2C,FIG. 3A and FIG. 4A, the concealing portion 12 of the covering member 1is formed to cover the side portion of the elbow cover 31 from bothsides, but as shown in FIG. 2D and FIG. 2E, it may be also formed tocover the side portion of the elbow cover 31 only from the inner side,or to cover only from the outer side (not shown).

In any case, by using any arbitrary affixing member or affixing meanssuch as surface fastener, braiding member, hook, button, magnet, oradhesive, mutually opposing portions 12 (mutual mounting portions 11)and/or concealing portions 12 (mounting portions 11) and the chair 3 arefixed, so that the covering member 11 may be affixed to the elbow rest31 of the chair 3.

The covering member 1 of the elbow cover of the chair may be eitherprovided with the elbow cover portion 2 explained below, or may be usedalone.

Therefore, in order that the covering member 1 may be used also in anexposed state, it is preferred to compose by using a fashionable membersuited to the application of the chair or the place of installation.

Accordingly, by the member easily inserted in the elbow cover 31 of thechair 3, the space formed between the elbow rest 31 of the chair 3 andthe seat is covered, and space allows passing of air stream or preventsthe clothes of the occupant from being seen, and it is possible to solveproblems derived from the space formed between the elbow cover 31 andthe seat, such as cooling of the body due to passage of air or exposureof the clothes of the occupant or necessity of consideration to thestate of the clothes.

Moreover, the covering member 1 of the elbow cover of the chair isprovided with a lap cover portion 2 made of a sheet material so as towrap the lap area in a state sitting on the chair, as shown in FIG. 1Dand FIG. 1E, and the sheet material of the lap cover portion 2 may beformed integrally by using the mounting portion 11 or the concealingportion 12 of the covering member 1, the surface fastener, braidingmember, hook, button, magnet, or adhesive, arbitrary affixing member oraffixing means 4.

Thereby, it is possible to prevent slipping of the lap cover portion 2,contacting of the drooping portion of the lap cover portion 2 with thefloor while not in use to pollute the lap cover portion 2, or otherproblems caused when using the lap cover.

The sheet material for composing the lap cover portion 2 may bepreferably selected from thick woven cloth, knit cloth, blanket,nonwoven cloth, or other humidity retaining cloth, plastic sheet, foamedplastic sheet, or other synthetic rubber resin.

The sheet material for composing the lap cover portion 2 is set in arectangular shape measuring about 900 to 1000 mm×1500 to 1700 mm asshown in FIG. 1E.

In the seat portion 22 of the sheet material for composing the lap coverportion 2, a cushioning member (padded seat) may be assembled, orwithout forming the seat portion 22 in the lap cover portion 2, it maybe divided into right and left sections to be formed separately.

Herein, the sheet material of the lap cover portion 2 is used as meansfor integrating with the mounting portion 11 or the concealing portion12 of the covering member 1, and in this embodiment, as shown in FIG.1E, FIG. 3A and FIG. 4A, a bag portion 21 for inserting the concealingportion 12 at the inner side of the covering member 1 is formed in thelap cover portion 2, so that the lap cover portion 2 may be held in theconcealing portion 12, and the upper end (the position indicated byarrow in FIG. 3A) of the bag portion 21 is set free at the free end sideof the lap cover portion 12 (similarly in other diagram of FIG. 3, thefree position of the free end side of the 1 a cover portion 2 isindicated by an arrow. Herein, the free position of the free end side ofthe lap cover portion 2 is set at a lower position than the middle pointof the concealing portion 12 of the covering member 1, preferably fromthe viewpoint of heat insulation.).

As the means for integrating the sheet material of the lap cover portion2 with the mounting portion 11 or the concealing portion 12 of thecovering member 1, aside from this example, as shown in FIG. 3B to FIG.3I, the concealing portion 12 of the covering member 1 may be usedcommonly with the sheet material for composing the lap cover portion 2(partly the sheet material is formed in a two-layer structure).

Further, as shown in FIG. 4B to FIG. 4E, it may be also possible toprepare another lap cover member 2A.

In this case, as shown in FIG. 4C to FIG. 4E, the concealing portion 12for covering the side portion of the elbow cover 31 may be also formedfrom the lap cover member 2A using a sheet material so as to wrap thelap portion in a state sitting in the chair.

The sheet material for composing the lap cover member 2A may bepreferably made from, same as the lap cover portion 2, thick wovencloth, knit cloth, blanket, nonwoven cloth, or other humidity retainingcloth, plastic sheet, foamed plastic sheet, or other synthetic rubberresin.

Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 4B to FIG. 4D, in the seat portion 22 ofthe sheet material for composing the lap cover member 2A, a cushioningmember (padded seat) may be incorporated, or as shown in FIG. 4E, orwithout forming the seat portion 22 in the lap cover member 2A, it maybe divided into right and left sections to be formed separately.

The cover member 1 of the elbow rest of the chair is, as shown in FIG.7A, provided by forming an extension portion 13 by extending theconcealing portion 12 of the covering portion 12 of the cover member 1up to the position of the back rest 33 of the chair 3, or as shown inFIG. 7B, by forming an extension portion 14 in addition up to theposition of the seat 32 of the chair 3.

As a result, by covering the space formed between the back rest 33 ofthe chair 3 and the seat, passing of the air or disclosure of theclothes of the occupant through this space can be prevented, and it ispossible to solve problems derived from the space formed between theback rest 33 and the seat, such as problems of cooling of the body dueto passing of air, or necessity of consideration to the state of theclothes due to disclosure of the clothes of the occupant.

Herein, the cover member of the chair of the invention and the chaircomprising such member are specifically described by referring to pluralembodiments, but the invention is not limited to these illustratedembodiments alone, but may be realized by properly combining thestructures disclosed in the embodiments or by varying the structuresappropriately within a range not departing from the true spirit thereof.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

The cover member of the chair of the invention and the chair comprisingsuch member are capable of solving the problems due to the space formedbetween the elbow rest and the seat and problems occurring when usingsuch lap rest, and hence can be used as chairs in various applicationssuch as office use or chairs of various applications.

DESCRIPTION OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

-   1 Covering member-   11 Mounting portion-   12 Concealing portion-   2 Lap cover-   2A Lap cover member-   3 Chair-   31 Elbow rest-   4 Affixing member or affixing means

1. A cover member of an elbow rest of a chair comprising a mounting portion to be disposed along the upper surface of the elbow rest as being hooked on the elbow rest of the chair, and a concealing portion for covering the side portion of the elbow rest.
 2. The cover member of the elbow rest of the chair according to claim 1, wherein the length is equivalent to the length from the front end to the rear end of the seat of the chair.
 3. The cover member of the elbow rest of the chair according to claim 1, wherein the length of the seat is variable.
 4. The cover member of the elbow rest of the chair according to claim 1, further comprising a lap cover using a sheet material so as to wrap the lap portion in a state sitting on the chair, wherein the sheet material of the lap cover is integrated with the mounting portion or the concealing portion.
 5. The cover member of the elbow rest of the chair according to claim 1, wherein the concealing portion for covering the side portion of the lap cover is made of a lap cover member using a sheet material so as to wrap the lap portion in a state sitting on the chair,
 6. A chair comprising a cover member of a lap cover of a chair according to claim
 1. 7. The cover member of the elbow rest of the chair according to claim 2, wherein the length of the seat is variable.
 8. The cover member of the elbow rest of the chair according to claim 2, further comprising a lap cover using a sheet material so as to wrap the lap portion in a state sitting on the chair, wherein the sheet material of the lap cover is integrated with the mounting portion or the concealing portion.
 9. The cover member of the elbow rest of the chair according to claim 3, further comprising a lap cover using a sheet material so as to wrap the lap portion in a state sitting on the chair, wherein the sheet material of the lap cover is integrated with the mounting portion or the concealing portion.
 10. The cover member of the elbow rest of the chair according to claim 2, wherein the concealing portion for covering the side portion of the lap cover is made of a lap cover member using a sheet material so as to wrap the lap portion in a state sitting on the chair.
 11. The cover member of the elbow rest of the chair according to claim 3, wherein the concealing portion for covering the side portion of the lap cover is made of a lap cover member using a sheet material so as to wrap the lap portion in a state sitting on the chair.
 12. A chair comprising a cover member of a lap cover of a chair according to claim
 2. 13. A chair comprising a cover member of a lap cover of a chair according to claim
 3. 14. A chair comprising a cover member of a lap cover of a chair according to claim
 4. 15. A chair comprising a cover member of a lap cover of a chair according to claim
 5. 